1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to coin-operated devices, and more particularly to a coin operated personal computer controlled by a coin box having a timer which controls the operability of the computer keyboard for a predetermined period of time independently of the other computer components which remain operational at all times.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The personal computer is revolutionizing nearly all fields known to mankind, The personal computer, for the most part, is confined within offices, schools, and behind counters. Although computer time sharing and computer labs are available, the hours of availability and cost place constraints on the user. Their usage is limited to those individuals who can afford them.
It would therefore be desirable to provide personal computers for use, at any time of day or night, by the general public at public places such as libraries, hotels, shopping centers, airports, schools, etc., for a nominal fee.
Coin-operated video games are known which do not utilize a keyboard and operate with an "EPROM" or permanently programmed memory chip. Video games are only capable of providing entertainment and do not provide the features of a personal computer which offers the user unlimited utility.
There are several patents which disclose various coin-operated devices.
Reidenouer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,033 discloses a television viewing time regulator having a solid state timer activated by a reed switch installed between a television receiver and an electrical wall outlet. The regulator has a passageway adjacent the reed switch for the reception of magnetic tokens which act on the reed switch, in turn activating the timer and completing a circuit through the television receiver. The power to the television receiver is automatically turned off after a predetermined time period.
Nelson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,862 discloses a coin-operated timer for pay television which has a coin box interposed in the path of a signal input line that supplies program signals to the television receiver. One or more frequency band filters (frequency traps) within the coin box normally prevent reception of some of the channels, and a bypass circuit controlled by a relay bypasses the frequency band filters during time periods that have been paid for.
Parker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,997 discloses a coin operated device and method for car washes which requires a threshold number of coins to activate its operation. Once operation is stopped, a time window is provided during which the deposit of fewer than the threshold number of coins may restart the device.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a coin-operated personal computer controlled by a coin box having a timing mechanism to allow a user to operate the computer for a predetermined amount of time for a fee. The computer keyboard which is used to enter and/or retrieve information is connected through the coin operated timing mechanism such that the driving mechanism of the personal computer, data storage, memory, etc., is operational at all times, but the keyboard data transmission line which is used to enter and/or retrieve information is disabled at the end of the time period. The file or data which the user is working on is not lost when the timer disables the keyboard, since the other components of the computer system remain on and operational to retain the data, and in the event that the user has not completed the work at the end of the time period, another coin can be inserted for additional time in which the work can be completed or saved to memory storage.